I've used Viewranger for over 12 years now....love it! I download the maps and routes to an OLD phone that doesn't have a sim card in and turn off Bluetooth and WiFi when I'm out and it gives a VERY MUCH extended battery life on the phone. If I need a network connection out and about I'll use my everyday phone as a WiFi hotspot. I have a Garmin handheld too BUT the display on the phone is far superior 👍
Had ViewRanger years and years ago - maybe a decade ago - and it was almost completely useless. I'm amazed how much it's improved. I'll be using it again very soon. Great vid, fella. 👍
Excellent straight forward advice as usual Paul. Straight to the point without the faff. Absolutely spot on that map reading is a basic skill that all folk heading to the hills should learn. Thanks Paul.
Before you buy tech for navigation it's worth learning how to use a map and compass, your phones and watch batteries tend to fail in cold weather. Great idea for a video and tech has come along way, always bring a map and compass as a back up for new terrain and longer routes.
Excellent tutorial there. I'm a big fan of Viewranger, have been watching it improve over the years, they are always adding new features too. The little alarm that nags you when you deviate from the route has saved my bacon a few times!! Have a good new year both, all the best, GJ and the Shropshire Mafia..
Great video Paul. I still prefer memory map though, guess just more used to it. And can't agree more about map skills and also being able to read the ground. As we were taught in the military, recce your route first on the map and break it down into legs and memorable features. That way assuming you're a confident walker and have a consistent pace you should always know roughly where you are and if the ground doesn't look right in your head or you've not hit a certain feature in the time you would expect then you might have become geographically embarrassed and its easier to recover before you've gone too far wrong.
Downloaded ViewRanger last night and used it for a trek over Froggatt/Curber edge today. Excellent recommendation. Just ordered a Leave No Trace T-shirt from your website. Keep up the great work👍
Nice video, I currently use OS mapping subscription service, which appears to have all the same features including unlimited printing of OS scale maps for personal use. £20.00 per year.
Great review of the Viewranger which I also use. Other features: 1) you can upload your photos taken on your iPhone/Android to each track. They will appear on your account after you synchronise. So you can look back at where the pictures were taken relative to where you walked. 2) You can add your own points of interest e.g. water sources or picnic spots. These POI will appear in the skyline. 3) You can import/export routes and tracks as GPX files which makes Viewranger very useful for sending or receiving navigation info e.g. to/from other apps 4) There is a buddy beacon festure! Not used it yet though because I haven’t got a buddy ☺️
Best review of ViewRanger I’ve seen on RU-vid mate. I’ve got the app but don’t use half the functionality, probably why I went an hour in the wrong direction coming off Stoney Cove Pike! Love the videos mate.
What a useful vid. Just got that app... it's £24.99 per year (with 7 days free trial) if you want the GB OS maps. £404 watch, £50 strap, 50p protection thingy! You're a wealthy man Mr. Messner!
You don’t need the watch. And many people have an iPhone or Android already. So there is zero outlay to do what Paul says, to be fair to him. Many people do NOT pay for apps, which I think is a bit stingy giving software developers have jobs to pay for like anyone else. At £25/year for access to all ordnance survey mapping in the UK, it is fair pricing. Sorry if you cannot afford it. But you can buy an Android phone that will work with ViewRanger for £100. I have one.
I carry an old Garmin navi just as a back up to check grids only ..(Never needed it but you never know). OS maps are supper awesome ,top tips are to always orientate you map to the ground /north and make your route legs short . ( never over 1km ) keeping the legs short negates the need for grid/mag calcs ... :)
I've had view ranger for a few years and never thought about using it on my watch. I only use it for finding new locations so I'm seriously under using it. Thanks for the tutorial it was very useful. I'm sure people will say about using maps and compasses but technology marches on and we can still sleep uncomfortable on the ground but we choose to embrace technology to sleep in comfort on wild camps. So why not embrace technology to find our way 😀
I use Komoot. Main reason being for offline mapping viewranger has an annual subscription whereas for global offline mapping on Komoot I paid a one off fee of £20 and I can download maps for any location to use without phone signal. Doesn't have OS view but I'm happy with the one off fee that I paid for about 18 months back and the navigation works really well and maps are plenty detailed enough (I do study the OS or Harvey map prior to going out to get a good idea of the route as well but Komoot has never let me down). Seems most people get viewranger and have never heard of Komoot despite it being a really good alternative. The route plotting will purposefully take you on quieter routes and is great for exploration rather than just plotting the shortest route between two points.
I'm also using Komoot more these days, there seems to be more of a road and mountain biker community uploading their routes which is great for discovering stuff locally. It has the option to choose between different types of biking which is really helpful. Viewranger is good but seems to be more for the walking/hiking community
another good alternative is openmaps.co.uk/printmap.html Uses open source mapping info (which I believe is used to make komoot maps and strava maps etc) and you can download a high res image of the area you need. Makes for a good backup but obviously being just an image it doesn't show your location or allow you to plot anything.
Definitely a great app Paul. Even though I can use a paper map and compass, there are times when I’ve been out on moorland with zero visibility and ViewRanger made a massive difference in just providing reassurance that I was following the right route 👍
ha, a bit fresh? what's that white stuff? dandruff! believe it or not, i miss them cold hard winters now i live down here in s.devon! anyhows,great vid paul and yes, using maps properly as well as new tech is vital..they will both be around for a while yet! happy new year to you and you closest
Paul, I have followed you for quite a while now and really appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience. Being a bit of a tech geek I enjoyed this video a great deal. Keep up the awesome work and Happy New Year to you and yours.
Great video Paul loads of useful information as usual 👍🏻. Happy new year and thank you for all your videos you shared. Excellent content. A massive inspiration.
Looks just as fresh there, as it does here.. I've been looking forward to using viewranger and I actually received a nice Silva compass & dark peaks OS explorer map for Christmas 👍🏻 just need to wait for it to thaw out a bit - I'm not built for the cold 🥶
I absolutely love viewranger for a bit of navigational research beforehand, but what with phone battery limitations (live GPS canes a phone's battery) as well signal limitations I've found it to be all but useless for anything over a couple of hours use. If I'm doing a multiday or even just a full dusk till dawn single day it's my Garmin etrek everytime, it's tough, weatherproof and I've managed to get 3 days out of a set of AA batteries.
OS Maps app fan here. The flythrough (on a laptop/PC) is excellent. Didn't get on with Viewranger but looks superb now you have explained it 😂 Also have a Garmin eTrex which is very good. Always download my routes.
I just used paper maps when i did my Lejog the problem with apps on a phone is the narrowest of the view, but with a map you can see a lot more. The other thing with a map it doesn't need need battery power
After swapping from apple watch to a garmin fenix 6 i'll never go back. Around 3 days battery life in navigation mode, can't beat it if you don't want to lug around a power bank to charge your watch everyday on a multi day hike
I struggle with the idea of using phones, even with powerbanks. When out in the Peak, my phone is the primary way to get out of trouble if it ever happens by calling mountain rescue. Too many issues with apple phone batteries in the past to want to rely on it for both navigation and calling for help. Not to mention that once when on Kinder it claimed I was in Norfolk.
I wouldn’t disagree. But I would say that using GPS in addition to physical maps surely helps with safety rather than hinders. I always carry a fully charged 10,000mAh battery for my iPhone. A bit of an overkill but 99 times of 100 it all works fine. Then there is the 1 time in 100 where things go wrong....which is your valid point.
@@hamwhacker Maybe it's a meet in the middle thing. I have OS Maps on my phone and love the desktop version for planning. I'm very glad I have it just in case I get lost fell running, hillwalking etc. It is a useful secondary navigation device, but use as a primary one is where my concerns lie. Should have been a bit clearer that I was referring to their use as a primary navigation tool. With all that said, I'm tempted to get a dedicated GPS unit this year, both for the reasons above and the fact that if it does get a battering it would be cheaper to replace.
Aye viewranger is spot on Paul , i've used it for years now . I still carry the paper maps as back up but very seldom need to bring into play ..good video mate ..cheers Stevie
A great video Paul like the app for the phone that's a interesting app I could use it for when I go bike riding and 5 miles walks thank you for a great video, have a great new year for 2021 you and your family take care.
How about an update on View Ranger? From what I understand, it has merged with a different company and the reviews I have read have not been complementary.
interesting little vid Paul, but you failed to mention, that you have to pay for each tile download as and when you need them. or you can purchase the whole of the UK in 1:50 and 1:25 scale this may be a bit over the top for some people but it works out cheaper per tile that way. however, I would certainly endorse Viewranger. I have been using it for years now, it`s great. Also,if you have it installed on your PC, it`s so much easier and precise to plot a route with the mouse rather than your finger. remember, your fingertip represents about 200sq meters on the ground.
@@PaulMessner I used to purchase tiles (by adding credit to my account) so I permanently own them. However ViewRanger brought out the £25/year premium account option for BOTH 1:50 and 1:25 UK mapping. You just keep zooming in to get 1:25. So I switched to the annual subscription instead of buying tiles. I think @Ray Turvey is mentioning that you could instead buy the whole of UK for a large price (£100+?). Not sure you can do that anymore. As long as it stays at £25/year it is just affordable or me.
Great video Paul but ViewRanger has now merged with Outdooractive and it completely different in appearance and use. When my subscription ends I will be going back to the OSMaps app as Outdooractive is a bag of 🤬 it like a cross between a navigation, fitness and travel app and is annoyingly overly complcated, and unintuitive plus it has a mind of it own when it comes to plotting a walk 😩
I've just switched back to OS too. Although the features of Viewranger are a lot better. The outdoor active app drains battery and is nowhere near as good.
@@PaulMessner I agree with Paul and Roger - the demise of Viewranger, which was popular in the US as well as UK, is unfortunate and Outooractive have left many who had expensive map purchases with Viewranger with no way of migrating their content. I am colour blind and find OS mapping confusing because of their reliance on colours and so I am undecided on what to choose next. I will probably choose an app that has Harvey Maps content to buy because my favourite stomping ground for summits is Snowdonia. Gaia GPS is probably the best interface but, as with Outoordactive, there is little user community route content. I like Alltrails a lot with the curated routes, but no premium map content available. Basically, I just want Viewranger back, with its clear Landscape mapping downloadable again, but that's not going to happen so I need to get over it (Outdooractive would not allow me to renew my Viewranger sub recently) ;-) I also use a basic Garmin GPS for the British Grid references, together with a hard copy map and compass as back-up. Would never venture onto a Snowdonia summit without these!
Great video Paul, a lot of people turn there nose up at apple products. The usability is second to none, symbiosis between watch and phone is superb. Just need some AirPod max to complete the look . Lol
Can you do a kit list for something longer I.e the coast to cost as I am doing it this year and would find it helpful to get someone else’s view in what kit to take and what to leave. ( btw in 16 so don’t have the largest budget in the world )
Paul View ranger has now sync with outdoor Active 👌check out that one as there's all sorts from walking to mountaineering, ice climbing to bikes .. loads 😉👍
Great video Paul 👍might give Veiwranger another gi next time. I did return back to OS app as I found Veiwranger a bit more complex for my ageing brain.🤣
Ey up Paul, I’ve recently started using tech firstly to pin point where I’m at that moment in time, and the OS app and ViewRanger to plot routes, I do like to lay the paper map on the floor tho when I’m sussing out where to go in the first place, can I ask you what you thought of the Casio Pro Trek you used to use? Also are the Apple watches ok in bad weather etc like the pro trek ?
Compass, and a Teasi....bike computer, but also ski, walk, sail....all maps of Europe in it... But is possible with your phone and offline maps...but a compass is needed anyway... And i do collect maps...1:50000 or even better.. Kompass, F&B, Tabacco (dolomites) and so on... Nice for later....
Hi Paul is your watch the cellular or non cellular. Just wondering if you can use a non cellular Apple Watch to download your map and not have to link it to your iPhone. Cheers, Mike
Thanks Paul. Not sure if it's been mentioned but plan a route isn't the same on android for some reason. Havent got any of the options as there is on apple.
Trouble is Paul that when you are in the mountains / off the beaten track mobiles invariably don't work. I was up on Black Sail Pass doing the C2C when the clagg came right down, vis was down to about 10 feet & it was getting dark, there was a big group of people at the top using this mobile mapping tec and it had stopped working I had a Satmap 10 and was able to walk them of the hill down into the slate Mine at the bottom. In my mind it's like going up into the mountains in Jeans & High Heels.
More for a casual walk and back up to a map and compass I would say. Plus its tech available to the casual for no cost other than what they already have, the watch isn't a must. I use it for walks all the time as an easy, quick point of reference. The offline maps work a treat, just need GPS signal which is always available and hasn't let me down yet!
You make a very good point. Paul does try to emphasise how this should not replace real map reading, rather an additional tool. Because tech fails when you need it most. I carry a backup device (cheap Android without a SIM card) inside a waterproof see-through case in which there is also a battery pack. It rescued me when I was up high on Offas Dyke and it tipped down so hard the iPhone failed. Embarrassing to admit all this, since Black Sail Pass sounds a lot more dangerous! For casual day walking a single device is fine if you have your bearings, which is probably what Paul’s video is aimed at. The Apple Watch is a luxury bonus which cannot be fully relied upon at all given battery life there.
good video paul tech good but could you do a small film on what to do if you get injured whilst on travels if you have know tech as in phones etc to get help
I feel that this is over complicating things some what. I want to get away from tech when I am outdoors not scroll around on a little screen (and the watch is a joke). My phone invades my life too much already so it’s only there for emergencies when I am clearing my head in the great outdoors. Anyway, I don’t want to be too negative. I did find one app that was useful, GPS OS. It gives you a 6 figure grid ref and the OS map code.
Of course it is totally up to you how you navigate. Personally I don’t need to buy OS Maps at all and rely on ViewRanger. On longer trips I carry a backup cheaper Android device in a waterproof case, just in case the iPhone fails...which it has in very wet conditions. The Apple Watch does work nicely especially if you follow a route and it will beep if you are 50 yards off route, say. Battery is an issue with the Apple Watch on long walks. I also always carry spare power for the iPhone. For me personally, ViewRanger is a killer app for the iPhone/Android. That is to say, it is a good sole reason for owning a decent smartphone. All that said I do respect (look up to) people who still use hand-held OS maps. Not least because they tend to be more experienced walkers. And as Paul says in the video, twice I think, gps tech is no substitute for good physical map reading, when it comes to walking. Should your life depend on it. A great feature of ViewRanger is searching for nearby routes which other people have curated. Wherever I am in the UK I can plan ahead, including plot our own routes for the family, AND download the maps should there be no coverage. You have to be a bit technophile to do this, so sorry if this not info your cup of tea.
I agree with Lone Ranger. There is no “right” way to navigate and different circumstances will require different tools. You may go on an easy day hike on a well paved road, so you more than likely don’t need a map or gps device. If I’m going on multi day trips on trails that may be under-used or hard to navigate I’m definitely taking a map, compass, but I solely rely on using Gaia GPS or All Trails. Each app has their merits and have worked well for me so far. All trails appears to be good for following popular routes that others have already done. I use gaia to plot my backpacking trips and especially if I’m going on any off trail trips. The gps on both apps is extremely accurate and they give me peace of mind knowing how well they work and where I’ve used them. But I think it still all comes down to user preference and one’s ability to utilize these tools whether it’s a map and compass or gps to navigate.
Ahh right ok... Think this may have just answered what I asked 😂 So you mean when you go to 'plot route' the automatic path isnt available yet? I have it on my Samsung S20 Ultra and just tried but have to manually put in all my way points, thought I was doing something wrong lol. Hopefully it will hurry up then that would be good to be able to do that 😊👍🏻👍🏻 Thanks
@@theheightoflife correct. You're not going mad. I found the workaround is to use the Web-based View Ranger, login to your account, and then turn on "auto" (on the top right) in map view then it snaps to the footpaths. "Save" your route, then "sync" your View ranger app to get the route on your device.
Also check out outdooractive.com. You can search and plan hikes, trails, etc. I use it to get inspiration for tours through the Alps. You can download gpx paths and print your offline map. I think you can also combine both as they joined forces. A few years back we did a bike tour and this was an easy way to share the route to all participants. To everyone here: Please do a practice run with compass and a paper map. If you are lost, you are stressed and you will have a hard time using that untrained. Just a tip from somebody who did his military survival training in the forests just below the Alps, at night, in the winter, solo.
Hi Paul, what your thoughts on the outdoor active app? I was going to purchase viewranger premium after watching this video but it looks like been taken over by outdoor active. Looking to buy the pro version.
Currently use a paper map and compas in a map case with osmnd as a backup. Free and enables you to download maps for free for ofline use. Edit its spelt osmand available for both ios and android. Although if you download it through fdroid for android then its free. No clue about ios as im a Samsung user.
Hi Paul I watched this for tips to use with my iwatch, it would appear that they’ve collaborated with Outdooractive, I’m not sure if it’s as good as ViewRanger? What’s your thoughts
Great video Paul! I have View Ranger too on my Samsung S20 Ultra. Not sure if its slightly different to the Apple version 🤔 When I go to plot a route I have to manually add every way point in, it won't just automatically do me a route like yours does 😳 I had a quick go now doing the same thing but if I do my start and finish point without manually putting in way points it just does a straight line 🤷🏻♂️ Maybe its different on Android and yes I have paid for the subscription haha. Ill try and read up on it and have a play unless you or anyone else reading this knows if there is a different way I need to do it. Thanks for all the info great help tho and found out a few things I didnt know I could do 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Was thinking about purchasing the Casio Protrek to compliment the Viewranger Ap I have on my Samsung/Android smartphone. Is the navigation functionality on the App definitely better on an apple smartwatch? Also, would the two devices....apple watch & android phone sync? Cheers.
